Fluid control means



June s, y1937.

E. c. BRlsBANE ET AL 2,082,940

FLUID CONTROL MEANS Filed Oct. 24, 1936 Patented June 8, 1937 ParamoFFlcE 2,082,940 l ramp con'raonomnas Eugene C. Brisbane, Denver, Colo.,and Robert Bischoff, York, Pa., assignors to S. Morgan Smith Company,York, Pa., a corporation or Pennsylvania Application October 24, 1936,Seriali No. 107,394

3 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to uid control means. Usuallyv a municipalwater supply system includes a plurality of water mains or pipes, whichlead from a source of supply, such as a reservoir or the like. In orderto maintain the pressure of the water in the mains or pipes up to thedesired amount, one or more pumps may be employed. Also, at some pointin the water mains there may be one or more Water tanks or stand pipes.

Under normal conditions the pumps take care of the supply of water inthe pipes or mains. However, in case of excessive use of water, such asat the time of res, etc., the capacity of the pumps is not equal to thearnofunl of water drawn from the mains, and, therefore, extra water issupplied to the mains from the water tanks or stand pipes.

An object of the present invention is to provide o improved means forcontrolling the amount of water in the water tanks or stand pipes of awater supply system, so that Water in the tanks or stand pipes willdrain back into the water mains or water pipes of the water supplysystem when 5 the pressure of the water in the system drops to apredetermined minimum, and to maintain the amount of water in the watertanks or stand pipes at a predetermined maximum elevation under normalconditions, so that Water will not overflow from the tanks or standpipes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluid controlmeans in which the main valve is under the control of a valve deviceactuated by a diaphragm, the operation of which diaphragm is under thecontrol of a pressure regulator which is ke`pt active through the actionof a predetermined discharge of Water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved iluid controlmeans in which the main valve is actuated by uid pressure operatedmeans, the operation of which is effected by a diaphragm operatedcontrolvalve device, either when the pressure Aon one side of the mainvalve drops a predetermined amount, or the pressure on the opposite sideof the main valve exceeds a predetermined amount.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved .uid controlapparatus of the char acter mentioned, which is simple in construction,and reliable and exact in functionV under all con-` ditions of service.y

The invention alsocomprises certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction, ar-f rangement and combination of the several parts ofwhich it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, of a duid controlapparatus embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of the pressure reducing valve shown' inFig. 1.

Referring to the drawing the main pipe line I I leads from a suitablesource of supply, and the pressure of the uld in said pipe is normallymaintained at a predetermined pressure by means of a suitable pump (notshown). Mounted in the pipe il is a main valve l2, 4which is installedin the pipe ll at a convenient point adjacent to and beneath a tank,stand pipe, or the like (not shown), as is customary in municipal watersupply systems andthe like.

The main valve I 2 has a rotatable plug I3 having a waterway It formedtherein.

The plug It is adapted to be rotated by any suitable'mechanism so as tocontrol the flow of water through the pipe II. Irl the present-instancethe plug operating mechanism, ls shownY as comprising a sector l5 whichis fixed to one end of the stem of the valve plug I3 and has teeth inmeshing relationship with a rack bar I6.

One end of the rack bar I6 is connected to the end of a rod It of apiston IS mounted in a cylinder 20.

Reciprocation of the piston I9 within the cylinder 2li is adapted toturn the plug I3 through an angle of approximately 90 so as to positionthe Waterway It of the plug I3, whereby the ilow of water through thepipe II is either cut oir or permitted. y

For the purpose of controlling the operation of the piston I9, asuitable control valve device 2| is provided.

Chamber 22 on one side of piston I9 is connected to chamber 23 of thecontrol valve device 2l by a passage or pipe 2t.

Chamber 25 on the opposite side of piston I9 is connected to chamber 26of the control valve device 2l by a passage or pipe 2l.

The control valve device 2| is also formed with a chamber 28, andchambers 23 and 2B of the control valve are connected to a sewer or .theIlike (not shown) by a pipe 29.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to chamber 28 of the control valvedevice 2I through a pipe 30 which leads from a suitable source ofsupply. The fluid under pressure thus supplied'to chamb`er 26 isalternately supplied to the chambers 22 'and 25, respectively, by meansof a pilot valve 32 by means of a rod 33. l

The diaphragm 32 is mounted in a suitable casing, and chamber 34 on oneside of the dia- `phragm is directly connected to the pipe II on theside of the main valve |2 opposite to the side of said valve leading tothe water tank or stand pipe, by means of a pipe 35, so that the uidunder pressure in diaphragm chamber 34 will at all times besubstantially the same as the pressure of the uid inthe pipe II betweenthe valve `I2 and the pump or other means that normally maintains theiluid under a predetermined pressure in the pipe II.

Leading from the pipe 35 is a pipe 36 which is connected to the highpressure side of a pressure reducing valve device 31. The low pressureside of the valve 31 is connected to diaphragm chamber 38 by a pipe 39.

Also connected to pipe 39 between the pressure reducing valve 31 and thediaphragm chamber 38 is a pipe 40 having mounted therein a needle valve4|, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. Pipe40 may lead to a sewer or a like free discharge.

On the side of the diaphragm 32 having the low pressure chamber 38 thereis an expansible coil spring 42 which `acts against one side of of thediaphragm. The pressure of spring 42 is adapted to be adjusted by meansof a set screw or other suitable device 43.'l 1

The pressure reducing valve device 31 may be of any suitable typevwhereby the pressure of the fluid supplied to diaphragm chamber 38 willbe at a considerably lower pressure than the pressure of the uidsupplied to diaphragm chamber 34. The pressure of the fluid in diaphragmchamber 38 plus the pressure of spring 42 normally equals the pressureof the iluid in diaphragm chamber 34 so that the diaphragm 32 will benormally balanced. Furthermore, the pressure reducing valve device31would be very sensitive to changes in pressure of the fluid and maintainthe delivery of pressure within close limits.

As shown in Fig. 2, the pressure reducing valve 31 may comprise a bodyhaving a bottom plug 44 mounted therein. The plug 44 is formed with abore 45 in which is mounted one end of a yoke 46. The yoke 46 is formedwith a valve disk 41 and a yoke cap 48, said yoke cap being spaced asuitable distance from the valve disk 41.

The yoke ca'p 48 bears against one side of a diaphragm 49. Actingagainst the opposite side of the diaphragm 49 is a spring 50, thetension Cof which is adapted to be adjusted by means of a screw 5|.

The body of the pressure reducing valve device 31 is formed with athreaded opening 52 for the reception of one end of pipe 36 which leadsfrom the supply of high pressure fluid.

Formed within the body of the pressure re- 39 heretofore referred to isconnected.

,Normally the valve disk 41 is in spaced relation with the valve seat 53so that the valve is open, said valve disk being held in such positidn.by spring 50. ASupply pressure delivered Ato the reducing valve throughpipe 33 ows through port 54, from which it passes through y 2,082,940 3|which is operatively connected to a diaphragm the gap between valve disk41 and the valve seat 53 and enters chamber 55 at a reduced pressure.From chamber 55 the uid under reduced pressure iiows through pipe 39 todiaphragm chamber 38.

When the pressure builds up in chamber 55 it raises .the diaphragm 49permitting spring 51 to force the yoke 46, carrying valve disk 41towards the seat 53 until the disk 41 reaches a point at which itthrottles or reduces the initial pressure to the adjusted deliverypressure. In 'this way fluid under reduced pressure will be constantlysupplied to diaphragm chamber 38 through pipe 39.

Since pipe 39 is connected to a sewer by means of pipe 40 the pressureof the fluid thus delivered to diaphragm chamber 38 under reducedpressure will not build up, as there is a constant leakage of iluid fromthe diaphragm chamber 38 to the sewer. The purpose of needle valve 4| isto control the amount of such leakage of fluid from the diaphragmchamber 38. By adjusting the position of the needle valve 4| excessleakage of uid from the diaphragm chamber 38 will be 'prevented, so thatthe pressure of the uid within diaphragm chamber 38 plus the pressure ofspring 42 will balance the pressure of the iiuid in diaphragm-chamber34.

In operation, assuming that the tank is lled with water to the desiredelevation and the pressure of the water in the main pipe is up to thedesired pressure, the valve plug I3 will be in closed position, as shownin Fig. 1, and said plug will remain in closed position as long as thepressure of the water in pipe remains up.

While the parts of the apparatus are in this position, diaphragm 32 willremain balanced in the manner heretofore described, and there' will be acontinuous ilow of water through the pressure reducing valve device 31and also through pipe 4I), past the needle valve 4|.

When the pressure of the water in the sectionof the pipe I I between thevalve I2 and the pump drops a predetermined amount, a corresponding dropin pressure in diaphragm chamber 34 will also occur, due to the directconnection between chamber 34 and the pipe I I provided by pipe 35.

As soon as lthe pressure in chamber 34 drops a predetermined amount, thediaphragm 32 will be unbalanced and therefore, said diaphragm will bemoved toward the left, through the action oi spring 42.

Movement of the diaphragm 32 towards the left effects a correspondingmovement of pilot valve 3|, so that said pilot valve .is shifted fromthe full line position, Fig. 1, to the dotted line position.

With the position of the pilot valve thus shifted, piston chamber 25will be connected to the sewer through pipe 2,1, chamber 26 and pipe 29,and the piston chamber 22, will be supplied with fluid under pressurefrom pipe 30, through chamber 23 and pipe 24, thereby moving piston I9and rack bar I6 toward the left.

Movement of the rack bar I3 toward the left turns the valve plug I3 fromclosed to open posil increased.

For instance, after the system has operated to open valve plug I3 in theabove described man- 75,

` ner, the parts will remain in valve open position until the tank hasbeen again niled to a predetermined elevation.

Thus, when the pump forces water through the pipe II'in the directiontowards the left, Fig. 1, thewater will be forced upwardly into the tankuntil the back pressure from the water in the tank increases thepressure of the water in pipe II an amount by which the pressuresupplied to chamber 34 by pipe 35 overbalances the pressure in chamber38, and moves the diaphragm back to the position shown in Fig. 1. y V

With the diaphragm 32,1n such position piston chamber 22 will beconnected to the sewer through pipe 24, -chamber 23 and pipe 29, andpiston chamber 25 will be supplied with fluid under pressure from pipe30, chamber 26, and pipe 2l,

so that piston I9 is forced from the dotted line position, Fig. 1, tothe right hand full line position, thereby closing the valve plug I3.

The primary purpose of the fluid control system embodied in the presentinvention is to provide an accurate and positive altitude valve controlat a moderate cost; iiuid control means by which the main control valveI2 will automatically close when the elevation of the water being pumpedinto a water tank or stand pipe reaches a maximum elevation in order toprevent overflowing of the water in the tank. Another advantage of thepresent invention is that the main valve I2 is adapted to automaticallyopen and drain water from the tank back into the water system in casethe pressure in the system drops to a predetermined minimum.

The adjustment of the pressure reducing valve @l is such that thepressure is slightly lower' than the minimum pressure at which the valvei2 is to open and supply water to the system. Assuming that the distancefrom the center of the supply header to the maximum elevation in -thewater tank is 100 feet and that a 5 feet drop is allowable before thevalve I2 is to open, the

pressure reducing Valve 31 should be set at a pressure 10 feet less thanthe maximum pressure from the center line of the header to the maximumelevation of the tank or stand pipe. Thus, if the diaphragm 32 has anarea oi 10 square inches, the spring 42 should be designed for a forceequal to the pressure produced by 10 feet water differential, whichwould be the difference between the maximum elevation of the water inthe tank and the setting of the pressure reducing valve 31; and,therefore, when the elevation of water in the tank reaches maximumelevation, the spring 42 is compressed, and the diaphragm 32 moved inthe closing direction.

thereby actuating the pilot valve 3| in the closing direction andeilecting closing of the main valve i2, as has been heretoforedescribed.

Upon a drop in pressure in the pipe II equal to approximately 5 feet inthe tank, the pressure of spring 42 overcomes the combined forcesrequired to actuate the pilot valve 3i and conse-` quently the pilotvalve moves in the opening direction, opening the main valve I2.

- An altitude valve being in a sense a pressure regulating valve, thisfluid control system may also be used for pressure regulating servicesand does not necessarily have to be applied to tanks. but may be used inpipe lines and other iiuld systems requiring a control of the pressureexisting at points in the pipe line or the water system.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. Fluid controlling apparatus comprising a main/ line valve, fluidpressure operated means for actuating said valve for opening and closingthe same, a control valve for controlling the operation of said mainvalve operating means, a diaphragm for operating said control valve,means for supplying high pressure fluid to Vone side of said diaphragm,means for supplying iiuid under reduced pressure from the source of highpressure iiuid to the opposite side of said diaphragm, anda springacting on the same side of the diaphragm as the side to which the iuidunder reduced pressure is supplied to balance the diaphragm, saidcontrol valve being operated by said diaphragm upon a predeterminedchange in the pressure of lthe high pressure iiuid acting on one side ofsaid diaphragm to effect operation of said main 'va1ve.

2. Fluid control means comprising a main line valve, iiuid pressureoperated means for actu- Y ating said valve and including a diaphragmdevice having a chamber on one side of the diaphragm directly connectedto the main line and subject to variations in pressure in the main line,the opposite side of said diaphragm normally balancing the main linepressure side of the diaphragm through the combined pressure of iiuidsupplied thereto under reduced pressure and a spring, and means fordraining a predetermined amount of uid under reduced pressure suppliedto said diaphragm whereby the combined pressures of such reducedpressure and the spring pressure are maintained constant, so that whenthe main line pressure drops a predetermined amount the diaphragm willbe actuated by said spring. i

3. The combination with a main valve, a pressure chamber operating toopen and close the valve, a pressure operated pilot valve device adaptedto regulate the pressure in said chamber to open and close the mainvalve, means for supplying high pressure fluid to said pilot Valvedevice, means for normally balancing the pressure of the high pressureiiuid supplied to said pilot valve device comprising a pressureregulating device for supplying iiuid under reduced pressure and a"spring, and means for maintaining the reduced pressuresupplied to saidpilot valve device by said pressure constant whereby upon apredetermined reduction in high pressure supplied to the pilot valvedevice said pilot valve will be operated by the pressure exerted by thespring.

EUGENE C. BRISBANE.

ROBERT BISCHOFF.

